Is September really over?

I can't believe September is really already over!  I guess having two "part time" teaching jobs in addition to being a mostly single mom to four kids keeps me busier than I thought :)  Speaking of which, Nash asked if I'd sign him up for basketball again this year.  He didn't play last year because I missed the sign up deadline.  So I guess come about the first of November we'll be doing dance 2x a week, piano 1x a week, and basketball at least 1x a week.  What is wrong with me?  Why can't I say no to things?!  Mostly because I know it will bring a smile to my kiddo's face, that's why.

Speaking of the kiddos.....

Dance is in full swing.  We've done the USU homecoming parade already and we have a date lined up for a performance at one of the corn mazes in town on one of the Saturday's at the end of October.  Sam is rather liking fifth grade.  Although she's already on her second or third partner project of the year.  She's mad about this one because she didn't get to choose her partner and apparently her partner is a turd that won't do what he's suppose to.  I told her the only advice I could give her was to do what she was assigned and not do the other kid's work.  When it came time to turn it in her teacher would see who did their work and who didn't.  She recently finished a book in reading groups called The Penderwicks.  She says she quite liked it.  I found out there are two more so we'll see if we can find those too.  With Read Across America this year she's got to read 51 books.  This should be interesting!  And no, she can't just read whatever she wants, she has specific kinds of books she has to read.

I've decided I'm going to dress B up as Minnie Mouse (her all time favorite these days) for Halloween.  Can I find a Minnie costume in her size?  Nope.  So, what am I doing instead?  Yea, making it.  Again, what is wrong with me?!  My mom found the perfect fabric to match the Minnie ears Sam got when we were in DisneyLand.  Guess it was meant to be huh?  B has recently decided she needs to be attached to mom 24/7.  Not sure where the separation anxiety is coming from.  She freaks out even when I'm downstairs doing preschool and she's upstairs with Travis.  Not sure if it's because she's getting two of her two year old molars or if she's really having separation anxiety.

Caleb is liking Kindergarten more and more each day.  He finally isn't mad that Miss Shannon (his preschool teacher) isn't his Kindergarten teacher.  In fact, he quite likes Mrs. Kendrick now.  However, much to my disappointment, he's already been in trouble at school TWICE.  The first time was about 2 or 3 weeks ago.  Apparently he was calling a little girl at his table names.  The student teacher over heard him and let Mrs. Kendrick know, because obviously he wasn't doing it in front of her.  That got him moved to a different table - where supposedly he's doing great.  Then, last Friday they had all their community helpers come in and visit with the kids.  All the Kindergartners went from 9-11:30 on this particular day.  I guess they divided all the kids into small groups and had them rotate from one community helper to another.  Apparently volunteer moms were in charge of the different small groups of kids.  From what I understand, Caleb was laying all over the floor, wouldn't sit up, wouldn't follow the directions and "was just mean."  To top it off, he actually took a few swings at a mom when she tried to make him sit up.  Sigh.  Why am I not surprised?

Nash keeps telling me he's bored out of his mind at school.  My problem in deciding what to do is this: I know the kid is smart - he's reading on nearly a 6th grade level (he's in third grade this year) & numbers are super easy for him.  However, I just know he's ADHD so he really struggles to focus in class.  He gets in trouble for not paying attention, his work is sloppy and unfinished, etc.  My debate is whether I contact his pediatrician and set up an appointment to discuss a possible ADHD diagnosis and then try meds or do I keep trying different behavior modification techniques?  My worry is that if I wait too much longer to intervene with meds that it will soon be too late.  I don't want him to hate school but I realize it's quickly heading that direction.  I feel like if I don't do something fairly drastic from what I have been doing that we're setting ourselves up for complete and utter failure.  I see so much of my brother and my brother in law in Nash and both of them are only just barely figuring things out in life and getting their heads on straight (31 & 23 years old).  I hate to see Nash take the same path either of these guys have had to take.  I'm thinking I'll likely call the pediatrician.  What am I out?

Preschool has kept me so busy.  Not sure what I was thinking when I agreed to teach preschool five days a week AND still teach the gifted program?  It isn't that I don't enjoy them both, I do.  It's just a lot of work to do both even though I've been teaching the gifted program for the past two years.  I'm debating whether I'll go back to the gifted program again next year or not.  I hate to leave because I really do enjoy the job, but I just don't know that it's worth some of the sacrifices I'm making to keep doing it.  I started out only being at the elementary school two days a week (four hours).  I'm now up to three days a week and not quite 6 hours.  Guess we'll see how it goes and decide if I'm coming back again when it gets closer!  We had our first field trip at preschool today (fire station).  It went much better than I had hoped for!  I'm crossing my fingers that the three year old class does half as well as the four year olds did today!

Here's to hoping that time slows down....just a little and just for a little while!

Nash earns his Bobcat

Last night was pack meeting.  Since my phone fell in the toilet earlier this week I hadn't received any msgs about what time pack meeting was.  Therefore I assumed it was still going to be held at the normal 7 pm.  We got there just after 7 and they were doing awards.  Apparently they started at 6 so they could shoot the rockets they had the boys build.  I felt so bad when I realized that!  On the bright side, Nash finally got his bobcat badge.  He also got his archery and BB belt loop from day camp.  He was pretty excited.  Proud of my boy!

Nash's new injury

So this past Saturday we went and had family pictures taken with Travis's family.  We went to a place called Denzil Nature Park down on the island.  We were in the nature park for the majority of our pictures but there was an old building across the street we wanted to get a few in front of as well.  Next to this building was a giant dirt and rock pile.  Of course all the kids wanted to play on it.  We told them when we were done with our pictures they could climb on it.  So, once our pictures were done off they went.
When we got in the truck to leave Nash started complaining about his foot hurting.  I was mean and told him to suck it up he was fine.  I figured he was just getting tired and that it was from that.  When we got to Travis's parents' house he went off and played with his cousins so I figured he was fine.  We left the park around five and by eight Nash was sitting down with his shoe off and not moving his foot.  The poor kid was nearly in tears.  I couldn't see it swollen anywhere and it didn't look bruised.  I couldn't quite figure out what it was that had happened to it.  I wasn't sure if he was trying to tell me a rock fell on it or he jumped on a rock or what.  He said he couldn't feel his toes and that it was killing him.  We left my in laws house around ten or so and headed home.  When we got home we propped his foot up and put an ice pack on it and left him sleeping on the couch.  I was starting to worry maybe he had broken his foot.  The thing that kept me doubting was that he'd been walking on it earlier and that it wasn't swollen anywhere.
I woke up Sunday and asked Nash if he could put weight on his foot.  He tried and sat back down immediately.  So, we went off to Instacare to have it checked out.  Since it was just after eight there wasn't too long of a wait (amazing!).  We told them what had happened and they sent him off for x rays.  The x ray tech didn't come in until noon so we only had the dr. to read the x rays.  She said that everything looked okay bone wise - nothing broken.  She could see some swelling in the tissue though.  She said she thought it looked like it was just going to be a soft tissue bruise but if the x ray tech saw something different she would call us and let us know.  She told Nash to keep his foot up and iced for the day and that would help it feel better.
Of course he only lasted about an hour sitting on the couch!  He was up walking around all day (limping of course).  When I noticed he was walking on the side of his foot I told him he hadn't ought to walk that way or his foot will be bruised there too!  When I showed him how to walk on just his heel he about doubled over because he said that walking that way made him bend his toes and it's the base of his third and fourth toe that are killing.  About dinner time I noticed I could see the top of his foot swelling and starting to bruise.  We iced it again last night.  This morning he told me it hurt too bad that he couldn't go to school.  I was exasperated and said fine you're on your bed with your foot up and iced the entire time I'm teaching preschool.  Well, needless to say, the kid was in the hallway and sitting up playing legos in his room.  When I came in and chewed him out for the second time I think that's when he escaped.  After preschool was over I went to find him to tell him to get shoes on I was taking him to school.  He wasn't in his room.  No, he had gone out the bedroom window, up the window well (they are six feet deep) and climbed the giant maple in the b

First day of school 2013

Holy cow the summer went by fast!  I think the kids are happy to be back in school.  I know they missed their friends and I'm certain they were starting to get sick of spending so much time together!

This year Nash is starting THIRD GRADE!  That means he's going to be learning multiplication and cursive.  We'll hit Cache Valley history again, the moon phases and much more.  Third grade has been my favorite grade to teach so I'm super excited for Nash this year.  His teacher is Mrs. Rowley - which is who both he & I wanted him to get.  Nash is also still going to piano one day a week.

Samantha is staring FIFTH GRADE this year!  Holy cow!  Last year of elementary school for this girl!  WOW!  That went way, way, WAY too fast for this mom!  Fifth grade means state reports, trading teachers for different subjects, her last shot at the Wellsville Mile, the DWA (direct writing assessment - BIG deal), the Maturation program (I'm SO not ready for that!) and debate in my class!  Samantha's teachers are Mrs. Lockhart & Mrs. Hall.  She had Mrs. Hall for second grade so she was excited for a familiar face.  She also gets to see Mr. Hawkes for science and Mrs. Williamson for social studies.  At back to school night her teachers said they should really call fifth grade "Sixth grade prep."  So true!  Sam is still doing competitive dance (year four).  She's dancing twice a week still and then going to piano one day a week.  She was excited to find out they moved activity days to Wednesday evenings.  This means she can finally start going!  She's more excited about that than anything else I think!

And Caleb goes to KINDERGARTEN this year!  It dawned on me the other day that Caleb will be the same age that Nash is now when Brooke goes to Kindergarten.  That seems like 100 years away, but I know it's really just around the corner!  Caleb has Mrs. C. Kendrick  for a teacher.  She is a lot of fun and I think she will be able to keep up to Caleb's creativity & mischievousness!  He is in afternoon Kindergarten so he will be doing preschool with mom every morning too.  Not sure if he's too excited about that part or not. 

As for me, I will be doing preschool five mornings a week!  Two days a week I will also be at the kids' school working as the SEM teacher (gifted/talented).  Travis has given me all kinds of grief by telling me, "Heaven forbid you have 20 seconds of peace and quiet that you don't have something you have to do!"  I'm pretty sure I'd find something to fill that 20 seconds though!  I'm really excited to start preschool.  I am having my open house on Thursday and Friday this week and the kids will start the day after Labor Day.  I have 11 three year olds and 7 four year olds (Plus Caleb in each class)!  Should be interesting if nothing else!

Just keep swimming....

Well, since my last post I haven't fallen off the face of the Earth.  Travis FINALLY got the basement to where I could paint!  I was so glad to be rid of sheetrock dust for a day or two!!

We had a get together with some of the Muaghan family at my Uncle Darwin's house.  We managed to get a half way decent photo of my grandpa & all his boys!  Grandpa turned 86 this April and the last photo we have all him with his boys was probably at his 80th birthday party!

My kids have had MANY "movie nights".  They always fall asleep well before their movie is over.  Now that school starts in a few days I've banished them.  I seriously have no idea how my kids can sleep like this and not just hurt for a week after they wake up in the morning!

And the exciting news....
Yesterday after church we went out to Benson Marina with my in laws & Travis's brother's family.  The last time Travis took the kids out there with his parents Nash was learning how to knee board.  Yesterday they pulled him past me and he was not only knee boarding, but he had flipped the board around so he was facing backwards and was holding the rope behind him!  STINKER!  

And as if that wasn't enough....
He decided he wasn't going to let the water ski's get the best of him this time.  Last year he tried so hard to get up on the water ski's but couldn't quite do it.  Yesterday he managed to get up behind the jet ski!  At first Travis was in the water to help push him up.  After several attempts he was not only getting up and staying up, he was getting up without any help from his dad!  I told Travis he has to teach him to get up and ski on one before the kid can master the wake board!

 Uncle Chad with Brooke & Olivia.  The girls had so much fun "bobbing" with Uncle Chad!

I wasn't quick enough to get a picture of Nash up on the water ski's.  I was able to get this one of him after he was back in the water and decided he was done for the night.

After watching the crazy Nash, Brooke decided she too wants to knee board.  Travis asked the other kids, "Do you want to knee board?" and Brooke looks at him and pipes up, "I BOARD!"  Travis didn't hear her and asks the other kids, "Do you want to water ski?" and Brooke pipes up and says, "I SKI!"  I had to point it out to Travis before he heard her.  She sure thinks she's big & tricky!

Kash decided he couldn't let Nash show him up on the ski's so Travis helped Kash get up too.

I can't believe school starts in three days!  I'll have about a week and a half after the kids go back to get everything finalized for preschool.  The basement is painted and I'm waiting on Travis to put the lights up, trim out the doors/window & put the light switch covers on.  Then I can move everything down and set it up!  I won't have my wood floors yet - ran out of money.  We'll get them down as soon as we can though!  I will post pix of the basement once it's all set up and ready to go.  Then I get to go back to work at the kids' school the second week of September.  Should be a busy school year for all of us!